1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive lamp and, more particularly, to an automotive lamp used in a vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patent document No. 1 discloses an automotive lamp that forms a low beam light distribution pattern, using a plurality of lamp units. More specifically, a first unit for forming a low beam light distribution pattern (the light distribution pattern of a low beam) has three subunits. Each of the subunits forms any one of a pattern for forming a hot zone, a pattern for forming a cutoff line that is larger than the pattern for forming a hot zone, a pattern for forming a diffusion area that extends more in a transverse direction than the pattern for forming a cutoff line, and the three patterns are superimposed on one another to form a low beam light distribution pattern. Each of the subunits is provided with a projection lens having a substantially perfect circle shape when viewed from the front.
[Patent document No. 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-243477
In the case of forming one light distribution pattern by using a plurality of lamp units, light-emitting regions of the respective lamp units are desirably connected so as to be viewed as one light-emitting unit as a whole in an automotive lamp. This is for the purpose of improving a function of the automotive lamp that allows a pedestrian or the like to recognize the presence of the own vehicle by increasing the area of one light-emitting unit (this function is hereinafter referred to as an own-vehicle-marking function).